The Best Christmas Present
by sylvir
Summary: On Christmas eve Naruto waits by Sasuke's hospital bed for him to make the hardest choice of his life. Oneshot Complete


Here is some holiday fluff posted at the last minute at 11:59 on December 25th

XX***XX

"_Wake up sleepy head, it's Christmas."_

_If it weren't for the fact that his mother was dead he could swear that he heard her voice._

"_If you don't get up I'll open all your presents."_

_The imposter mimicking his brother's voice would have fooled him if it hadn't been for the chuckle under his breath._

"_My parents are expecting us for brunch, we don't have time for you to sleep in."_

_Whoever impersonated his father did a better job of the one mimicking his brother. He could not hear a difference._

_Sasuke found himself in his childhood bedroom, in his old clothes, and surrounded by mementos of events he barely remembered happening. The childish items of his past were replaced with scrolls and weapons. All his furniture was upgraded to his growing size but he had to memories of out growing his all bed or dressers._

_He left the room to find Christmas decorations lightning up the house bringing it to life. Hand drawn pictures of Santas and trees were taped to the walls by his mother who saved everything. His father, who would prefer the walls empty, had no say in the matter. In the Uchiha clan women gave birth to those who could wield the Sharingon and that gave them power. When it came to decorating the house for the holidays his mother used that power._

"_Well there you are." Sasuke's mother was kneeling on the floor next to his brother while his father sat in his favorite chair. She smiled and held out a brightly wrapped package. "Here, this one is yours."_

"_Come on Sasuke open your gift." Itachi beckoned him forward with a flick of his wrist. There was a time when he would run to that hand without a second thought. This time he hesitated making Itachi tip his head in question. "What's wrong?"_

_The only answer he could find was that it felt wrong. How could being with his family be wrong? He opened him mouth to ask this but he felt a heat on his back. The more uncomfortable he became with the situation the stronger the heat on his back grow. Slowly he turned to face a blinding yellow light that consumed the rest of the house._

"_Sasuke, my son, join us."_

XX***XX

"'The children were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.'" Naruto read from the battered book to the sleeping form in the bed in front of him. A sound from the doorway drew his attention away from the book. When he looked up Sakura stood there.

"Naruto, why don't you spend Christmas eve and morning with us. You're part of the family." Sakura stepped further into the room and up to the bed. Her unoccupied hand smoothed inky black strands behind a pale ear.

"Mama is uncle Sasuke still sleeping?" The little boy tugged at Sakura's hand and leaned towards the occupied bed.

Before she could answer Naruto did it for her. He put the book away and opened his arms from the small boy to take a seat on his lap. Although they both had already told him what happened before he explained again. "Your uncle Sasuke hurt his head really bad and to make him better he fell asleep."

The little one scrunched his nose in confusion. "Mommy's a doctor, can't she put a Band-Aid on his head to make him all better?"

"No because he hurt the inside of his head and it has to heal on it's own." Naruto gave the boy a squeeze then put him back down on the floor so he could go back to his mother.

He tugged at Sakura's hand hard until she leaned down so he could whisper in her ear. After he whispered to her she smiled with tears in her eyes and gave him permission to do some unknown task. Naruto watched with a sad smile as the little one went to Sasuke and spoke in his ear. "Uncle Sasuke will you please get better and wake up so uncle Naruto won't be sad anymore."

Naruto watched the little boy kissed Sasuke's cold cheek before returning to his mother's side. Sakura laid a hand on his head ruffling light brown hair. "Go see your father in the lobby, I'll be there in a moment." He scurried from the room with a wave. "It's been two years already. Naruto, you can't waste your life away sitting at his bedside. Have Christmas with us."

He wanted to have Christmas with them. It was always so much fun to listen to Sakura sing while she stirred gravy or basted the turkey. Her son would run around shaking presents and ask him to show him Ninjutsu. But holidays were meant to be spent with family and right now he was already with the most important member of his family.

"I'm sorry Sakura but I can't leave him alone." She nodded, understanding and walked to his side to drop a kiss on the top of his head. He wrapped an arm around her waist in a half hug.

"Merry Christmas Naruto."

When she was gone he reached for the book and continued to read to his sleeping lover.

XX***XX

"_I don't belong here, not yet" He stepped back, closer to the yellow warmth behind him. The yellow light held something familiar that the rest of the house didn't. With every step he took towards it and away from his family he felt more and more at ease._

"_Don't be ridiculous," his father called out. "We're your family you belong with us."_

"_I love you but I'm not ready yet. He still needs me." With that he turned and walked into the blinding yellow light._

XX***XX

"'But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."' After finishing the last line Naruto closed the book and placed it on a table. "I remember when Iruka gave me this book you told me that your mother used to read it to you. You never talk about your family. That night I held you in my arms and read it to you until you fell asleep. It was the first time you felt comfortable to let your guard down completely without being exhausted."

Naruto abandoned his chair and went to the window and threw open curtains. Christmas lights hung from the awnings of most of the buildings and lit up the streets. Bright colors cut through the darkness of not just the night but his heart.

Sighing heavily his face tilted upward to see the first flakes of white fall from the sky. They floated down gently standing out against the black sky. Before long the night's sky filled with white snow blocking his vision of the village.

"I love snow," a rough voice behind him made his back ridged. "It doesn't matter how filthy something has become the pure white of the snow will cover it making everything clean."

Naruto refused to turn around. Several times after long nights of no sleep he would hallucinate that Sasuke was talking to him. The first time the belief was so strong Sakura had him forcible sedated. "Prove it's really you and not your voice in my head. I don't think I can handle it not being you again."

"I can't talk anymore, my throat is killing me." The Sasuke in his head always said all the things he longed to hear. Behind him Sasuke coughed dryly and groaned in pain.

The blond turned around to see Sasuke curled on his side coughing into his hand. He kept a cup next to his bed filled with ice water just in case Sasuke woke up. Sakura rolled her eyes every time he filled it up but now he was glad he did so. Carefully he slid the straw between Sasuke's lips. "Drink slowly."

Sasuke took several long draws on the straw pulling the moisture into his dry mouth and throat. When he had enough he pulled away. "That's better, I…"

He cut off whatever Sasuke was going to say next with a kiss. His tongue delved between chapped lips to taste Sasuke's stale mouth and cool water. For two long years he dreamed of this moment when his lover would come back to him. Salt water from his own tears filled their mouths as he poured every ounce of his love for Sasuke into the movement of lips and tongue. Sasuke gasped for air but Naruto pressed closer sucking desperately at his mouth in a sloppy wet kiss.

When his own air ran out he pulled back gasping while Sasuke collapsed breathlessly. Sasuke sucked air into his lungs and smiled. "I love you too."

Naruto turned his head and caught sight of the clock. "Merry Christmas."

The End


End file.
